What is an Array?
An array is a collection of elements of the same data type, stored in contiguous memory
locations.
Think of it like a row of lockers: each locker (array element) stores one item (data value),
and all lockers are numbered (index).
In C, array indices start from 0.
🔹 Declaration of Arrays
To declare an array in C, we specify:
data_type array_name[size];
data_type → type of elements (e.g., int, float, char)
array_name → identifier (e.g., marks, numbers)
size → number of elements (constant or macro, not variable in standard C)
int marks[5]; // array of 5 integers
float prices[10]; // array of 10 floats
char vowels[5]; // array of 5 characters
📌 Key points:
Size must be a positive integer constant (e.g., 5, 100, #define SIZE 50).
Memory is reserved for all elements at once.
🔹 Initialization of Arrays
We can assign values to array elements during declaration or later.
1. Compile-Time Initialization
Provide values inside {}:
int marks[5] = {90, 85, 76, 92, 88};
Here, marks[0] = 90, marks[1] = 85, etc.
👉 If we provide fewer values:
int marks[5] = {90, 85}; // remaining elements set to 0
So, marks → {90, 85, 0, 0, 0}
👉 If size is omitted:
int marks[] = {90, 85, 76, 92, 88};
Compiler automatically sets size = 5.
2. Run-Time Initialization
We can assign values using a loop:
#include <stdio.h>
int main() {
int marks[5];
for (int i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
printf("Enter mark for student %d: ", i+1);
scanf("%d", &marks[i]); // run-time input
}
printf("Marks entered are: ");
for (int i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
printf("%d ", marks[i]);
}
return 0;
}
🔹 Accessing Array Elements
We use the index:
marks[0] = 95; // changes first element
printf("%d", marks[2]); // prints third element
🔹 Memory Representation
Arrays are stored in contiguous memory locations.
If int marks[5]; and each int is 4 bytes → total 20 bytes are allocated continuously.
marks[0] → base address;
marks[i] = base_address + (i × size_of_data_type).
#include <stdio.h>
int main() {
int numbers[5] = {10, 20, 30, 40, 50};
printf("Array elements are:\n");
for (int i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
printf("numbers[%d] = %d\n", i, numbers[i]);
return 0;
numbers[0] = 10
numbers[1] = 20
numbers[2] = 30
numbers[3] = 40
numbers[4] = 50
